Wesley is new Toledo Pionner manager

February 9, 2009

Mark Wesley has been named as plant manager of the Toledo Pioneer Hi-Bred corn plant. He replaces Greg Tingle who transferred to the corporate offices in Johnston in November. Tingley had been manager of the Toledo plant since 1995.

Wesley is a 1976 graduate of Mount Pleasant High school and graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in agriculture business. He began his career with Pioneer in 1983, in his hometown of Mount Pleasant. Pioneer was constructing a new plant there and Wesley worked part-time for Pioneer at that time, then was hired full-time in 1984.

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Mark WesleyNew Toledo Pioneer plant managerChronicle/Charley Townsley

"We've moved around with Pioneer quite a bit," he said. Wesley has worked at Pioneer plants in Durant, Constantine, Ill.; Mount Pleasant; Utica, Ill.; and the Marengo/Dysart plants. "We lived in Parnell, which was close to the Marengo facility until that plant was closed," said Wesley. "At that time we moved to Vinton to be closer to the plant at Dysart. The day we were moving to a new home in Vinton, I received an offer to come to the plant here at Toledo. I guess I like the idea, because here I am. We hope to be settled here for a while."

Wesley, and his wife Janet have three daughters. Stephanie and Emily are both students at the University of Northern Iowa. Natalie is a fifth grade student at the STC Elementary.

The Wesley's have purchased a home in Toledo. "We've only been here for a few weeks now, but we have found the community very welcoming," he said. "I'm getting to know the rest of the staff here at the plant and find them all to be a 'good group of friendly people.' I'm looking forward as time goes on to meeting more people in the community and becoming involved with the towns and the people."